Vertical jigging

[Derrick]

Could someone please tell me how you vertical jig? I've read about fishermen doing this a lot, but am not certain how it's done.

[birddog]

It's a ritual dance many fisherman do before they start fishing, many old timers swear by the vertical jig. From what I've heard it's much like the lord of the dance. I'm thinking about taking vertical jig classes myself.:D

BIRDDOG

FOR BETTER OR WORSE FISHING AND HUNTING COME FIRST

[PigBoy]

C'mon Bird, a fellow angler asked an honest question and you make fun of him. Whatever happened to the old adage, "no such thing as a stupid question"?

Maybe some of us are not as experience at certain techniques than others and that's why this board is used as a source for some novice anglers.

[Toolman]

Derrick,

Simply put, vertical jigging is fishing a jig and live bait or jig and plastic presentation slowly with the line extending vertically in the water, usually with the bait near/on the bottom. By using a heavy enough jig and varying positioning devices (electric trolling motor or gas kicker, etc) the boat speed can be controlled to allow this. Often in a river or current, it involves moving at the same speed as the current. The idea is to present the bait as naturally (and often as slowly) as possible. Hope this helps.

A tip: click on "search" at the top of "Strictly Fishing" page. Go to advanced search and type in "vertical jigging" and I think you will have an entire winter's worth of reading!

[Unlogged T-Mac]

Just means jigging straight down instead of casting,long-lining, or dragging. You do this when fishing deeper and especially when fishing specific spots...
ie: breaklines, current breaks, weed edges, individual boulders, bridge abuttments, etc.

Very critical to have superb boat control for doing this method well. You must keep the boat over the spot.
It is dealy at times....especially late fall and early spring below dams, and in larger rivers. It is my favorite!

[Derrick]

Thank you very much. I plan on doing some Fall walleye fishing and will try it.

[perchjerker]

One thing I would like to add, Derrick.

When you are jigging, try to keep a tight line, dont allow much slack. And set the hook whenever you feel something different. Not just a obvious bite. Lots of time they just suck it into thier mouths, and you all of the sudden feel no weight on your line...set the hook!

;)

[bountyhunters]

P?J is right on ,just a tap and that fish got your minnow ,get blade bait and pratice ,just touch the bottom and up.

[GR8WTHUNTER]

Like the others said, it is just moving the jig up and having the boat control to keep over the spot and the line straight.

Once you get the hang of the simple jig and boat control it is time to play with presentations. If a presentation catches fish, it is not wrong. Faster, slower, heavier, lighter, short hops, taller hops, tap the bottom, just missing the bottom.

As others have stated, you may not feel every bite even with the highest quality rod. Watch your line on the fall, if it goes slack before it should hit the bottom, don't be afraid to set the hook.

[sdperchfisher]

I use to never use this technique, except for ice fishing, then one day for some reason I took my vexilar I use for ice fishing out in the boat. There was just enough wind to move the boat, but still keep a verticle line. Plopped the transducer over the side with the ice fishing float on it and to my amazement, there were fish everywhere, suspended. Limited out on crappies and walleyes in 1 1/2 hours being selective. Made me a believer, and this was in the dead of summer, not early spring or fall fishing. Have been trying this ever since, when conditions allow, and it has not failed me in a dozen or so trips.

[RW]

Just came back from a two day trip on the water and using the vertical jigging method. It's one of my favorite ways to fish Walleye especially when they are out of the biting mood during a cold front. Vertical jigging in the wind is a bit tricky but with back trolling into the wind just enough to stay vertical is deadly this time of year. The other posts said to set the hook when your jig feels heavy and that's the right thing to do. Also, I have found that just lifting the jig off the bottom a couple of inches then with a tight line let it back to the bottom works good. It seems that at times you have to bounce the jig off their nose before they will pick it up. You don't have to give the jig much action, just keep it on or near the bottom moving slowly forward or backing into the wind. Keep a tight line and you will find this way of fishing very rewarding.

[roughrider]

Anybody vertical jig for suspended eyes,say 50ft. down over 100ft. water? I'd like too try this on a fall outing next month.thanks roughrider

[REW]

In the spring when we fish for sauger's on the river; we commonly fish in 100 feet of water in the wash out holes at the base of the dam.

Just use enough weight to get to the bottom.

In spite of what you might think, 6 inch walleyes can easily injest a 1 oz jig.

When we fish at these depths, we commonly use 5/8th and 3/4 oz jigs.

Use a good no stretch line like fireline or power pro.

If you don't you really have way too much stretch at these depths using this weight to vertically jig.

--
This method also works very well when you jig for lake trout or other deep holding trout. Again, use a jig that is heavy enough to quickly drop to the depth at which the fish are holding. There is no need to use a 1/8th or 1/4 oz jig - on the thought that you need these light weights for the fish.

Use a heavy jig to quickly get down, and keep your line taunt.

Take care
REW

[REW]

p.s.
Remember, if you are catching fish in 100 feet of water there is NO catch and release. No matter how slow you bring the fish to the surface; their air bladder is going to be coming out of their mouth and they will die if you put them back. So, if you want to catch fish in this depth - go ahead and do it. However, once you have your limit - of whatever size fish you have caught - STOP FISHING.
If you continue to catch fish from this depth and release them; you are going to have a lot of dead fish floating.

Take care
REW